Villegas Breaks Through II

Hello. Congrats to Camilo Villegas for winning the Tour Championship Sunday. It was his 2nd win in a row after waiting 85 events. Both came in the Fedex Cup playoffs, which was both good and bad.
It was good because they came against quality fields. It was bad because the Fedex Cup was decided even after his first win, in Vijay Singh's favour.
And while this was an impressive win, coming back after being 5 shots back at one point, the 3 players Camilo passed (Anthony Kim, Phil Mickelson and, in a playoff, Sergio Garcia) all were probably fatigued by playing in the Ryder Cup. It certainly didn't hurt Villegas to have them coming from the Ryder Cup, while he vacationed in Columbia.
Still, Villegas can put up some great numbers when he gets on a roll. He now joins Singh, Garcia and Padraig Harrington as players who took big advantage of Tiger Woods' absence. It will be interesting to see how all 4 do in 2009.
Congrats again Camilo! You've come a long way.
Can hardly wait to see what happens in 2009.

Regards,
Steve

Ochoa Rolls Again V

Hello. Congrats to Lorena Ochoa for winning the Navistar LPGA Classic. Ochoa won in a playoff over Christie Kerr and Candie Kung for her 7th win of the season.
I'm very surprised it was Ochoa's first win since May. And she has 7 wins! It just shows how dominant she was earlier this year.
Yesterday also showed me why she may have struggled this year. On the 17th hole, a relatively easy hole for her, Lorena hit a very poor second shot that almost went into the water hazard in front of the green. She then had a relatively easy shot for her that could've been hit to 'kick-in' distance. Instead she put it a few feet past, then missed it.
This is the type of hole that should separate Lorena from the pack, because she's so much longer than most of the LPGA Tour players. To come away with a par, and have to go into a playoff, instead of a birdie for a win, are the kinds of shots she'll have to work on to remain dominant. Otherwise, players with exceptional short games may be able to contend with her.
Don't get me wrong. Lorena Ochoa is a phenomenal talent, extremely dedicated, and now knows how to win. I think she'll be around the top for a long time. But if she wants to be mentioned with Annika and Tiger, it's these little things she'll have to correct.

Regards,
Steve

2 Years Ago

Hello. As you can see from my previous posts, September is an anniversary month for me. September 21st, 1999 was when we found out our daughter had cystic fibrosis. September 24th, 1999 was the last time I was right about anything. And today, September 25th, is the 2nd anniversary of being told my position was being eliminated.
For many people, this can be devastating news. That's not true in my case.
I was working at home. My manager, who lived in Miami, called at 10am with the news. I can honestly say I was doing the Tiger Woods fist pump while he was talking. 2006 had been filled with nothing but layoff talk. I can honestly say I was glad it was over. It was a great relief. And my wife and I had planned for it.
Now I can look back at the past 2 years and say they've been the happiest of my adult life. I've been able to spend time with my family I wouldn't otherwise be able to. I'm more relaxed, and feeling very secure. I've discovered what's important in life.
If you want assistance in doing what I've done, please feel free to comment on this post. Worst case you'll feel less despair.

Regards,
Steve

9 Years Ago II

Hello. 9 years ago today my wife and I were making our first trip to the Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto. Three days earlier we'd been told our daughter had cystic fibrosis (CF). Neither of us knew anything about it, other than it was life-shortening. We still weren't experienced enough with the Internet to find out what it was.
The car ride was depressing. I had heard humour was a good thing. I asked my wife if she thought our daughter would be able to eat junk food. Her reply of "Steven, this is a serious matter, SHUT UP!" was almost mistaken by me for pillow talk.
When we talked to the doctor, he outlined what we'd have to do. One of the assignments was to fatten our daughter up, to the point of putting whipped cream in her homo milk if necessary. I asked about junk food. He said yes, the more the merrier.
September 24th, 1999. The last time I was right about anything. 9 years ago today. And it's still fresh in my mind, which is surprising for so long ago. I was right. About something. Sure it was last millenium. But I still remember.
May the next 9 years be as happy for us, and as healthy for both of our CF children, as the previous 9 years were.

Regards,
Steve

9 Years Ago

Hello. 9 years and 2 days ago our family's lives were changed. That was the day my wife and I found out our 14-month old daughter had more than just a bad cough. It had taken 7 months and 4 wrong medical 'guesses', so in some sense it was a relief. However, it was the worst diagnosis we could've gotten - cystic fibrosis (CF).
CF is a genetic disease. My wife and I are carriers; only 4% of the population are. Neither of us knew it. We had both passed along a bad gene during conception. There was only a 25% chance of that happening.
Our daughter looked normal, which is why even the Hospital for Sick Children CF doctors were surprised. Most CF kids are thin. My daughter had her dad's big cheeks, but the rest of her was very thin. She hadn't gained weight in 8 months. She also overheated easily, and had messy stools. Those are the classic symptoms.
CF's life-shortening. When I was born, the median survival age was 4. Now it's 37. The glass is half full and half empty. But better than completely empty.
Our lives are full. Every day I consider myself very lucky. The only way my life would be better is if I was the last one with CF. Then all the funding could go somewhere else.
More tomorrow.

Regards,
Steve

Ryder Cup - Why The Fuss? II

Hello. Well, I like to think of myself as someone who admits to making mistakes. Of course that's a full-time job since I make so many. Look no further than my last two posts to see that.
On Thursday I said the Ryder Cup was becoming insignificant. And it probably would've been heading in that direction were it not for the US winning wire to wire. Thanks US for breathing some life back into the event.
And Friday I picked the Euros, based on Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington. They went 0-7-5, and Nick Faldo was being criticized? Those 3 need to look in the mirror.
Actually, Europe has to look in the mirror. Including Faldo. So many questionable things in these matches. Not having Darren Clarke, and to a lesser extent, Colin Montgomerie attending. Including Paul Casey, who could be THE EURO some day, but not now, was also questionable.
What's funny is it's always the captain's picks that get analyzed to death prior to the matches. Meanwhile guys like Phil Mickelson and Harrington get a free pass, with people (including me) thinking they'll play wonderfully, and they tank.
It should be much more interesting in 2010 after this Ryder Cup. Time will tell.

Regards,
Steve

My Ryder Cup Pick

Hello. I'm picking the Europeans.
I could stop here. I mean, they're the favourites based on past Ryder Cups.
Sergio Garcia has been shining a lot this year, and is 3rd in the Fedex Cup race. The two guys ahead of him aren't here. Oh, and he has the best record of anyone competing. And he's not 30 yet.
Padraig Harrington is the best player playing in this event, including Phil Mickelson.
Lee Westwood finished 3rd in the US Open. The two guys who finished ahead of him aren't here.
One of those was Tiger Woods. He was on all those losing teams before. I would think the US isn't as strong without him.
Is there any chance the US will win? Of course! They have 6 rookies who could come without the losing baggage and light a fire under everyone.
Playing on US soil is also helpful.
I just don't see it happening, that's all.

Regards,
Steve

Ryder Cup - Why The Fuss?

Hello. On Friday the Ryder Cup matches start.
This will be more exciting than next week's Tour Championship (I wonder who will win the Fedex Cup? That's one betting line I'd like to see!). But really, why all the fuss?
The Olympics can supply an answer. Once every four years we're shown sports we couldn't care less about. Yet when the chance to get a medal for the country is present, there's an emotional interest.
Having said that, the Ryder Cup is starting to parallel the America's Cup in history and interest. The Americans dominated for about a century, then have been fortunate to get it back. I've lost interest in it, because it's not as much in the public eye. Heck, they may not even be doing it anymore! And if it's one think Americans have shown in the past, if they're not challenging in something, they're not interested in watching it, unless it's something like the World Cup of Soccer, where they cheer for the country of their ancestors.
Will the Ryder Cup become an afterthought? Time will tell. The good news, though, is it should outlive the Fedex Cup.

Regards,
Steve

Golf's Dirty Secret

Hello. What's the one golf issue no one wants to talk about?
My thought is it's slow play.
Could you go up to someone you don't know and say, "Excuse me sir/madam, but I think you're a slow golfer"? Hardly. The response would be denial or anger. It could become a life-threatening situation.
Even saying that to someone you do know is a scary proposition. That's why, as a marshall, I know someone in the group knows they're slow, yet won't say anything to the culprit. They're not ready for the confrontation. They want me to say it, which I have no problem doing.
Could you do what they do in the show "What Not To Wear"? Go up to a person who's with family and friends and say "You need a wardrobe makeover"? Would "You need a speed makeover" do the trick? I think it could work.
The big issue is most slow players don't know they're slow, just like most alcoholics don't know they have a drinking problem. Once It's brought out into the open, half the battle is over.
Please let me know if "outing" someone would work.

Regards,
Steve

NFL Has Become No Fun League For Me

Hello. Yesterday I got a chance to watch a fair bit of NFL on TV. And as I was told by quite a few experts, it was quite a day of comebacks and great plays, many of which I did see as they happened.
The only thing was, I was not as excited as everyone else.
Why? well, in my humble opinion, the NFL has become an excellently marketed company. They generate a lot of hype. And hype is something that turns me off.
Also, my favourite team of all-time is the Miami Dolphins. I've been a fan since 1970. And I must say they, like my beloved New York Islanders, have gone through a lot of bleak years, with no end in sight.
Another thing I don't do is gamble, something the NFL unofficially encourages.
So with no personal interest in the games, I find myself falling asleep. Even when I'm not tired.
Can NFL really stand for No Fun League? I won't go that far. I really thingk it's just me, and the stage of life I'm in.
I never thought I'd say that.

Regards,
Steve

Wie Starting Over II

Hello. Michelle Wie is going to Q-school. If this were any other teenager, it would be seen as a normal progression towards a successful pro career. That obviously is not the case for Michelle.
She was the 'golden girl', the 'can't miss kid'. It could be argued she has now missed. Wie was given every opportunity to become a success, and failed to capitalize. The reasons were many and have been recited in every media imaginable.
What happened? I honestly think the original plan was for Michelle to play in the Masters. And she was willing to remain an amateur until she did. Her advancing to the quarterfinals of the US Men's Public Links was proof she was heading towards that goal. And if she would've remained an amateur, she may have achieved it.
But as Charles Davis said on the Golf Channel's "Grey Goose 19th Hole"3 years ago, she was an amateur playing a pro's schedule. And let's face it, no one could ignore the money everyone else was making off of Wie. Why wouldn't she turn pro, especially when $20 million was on the table? And with no guarantee of reaching the Masters? I'd have done the same thing.
Will Wie turn it around? I think she'll get her LPGA card. But the days of superstardom may be tougher to acquire.

Regards,
Steve

I Hear Federer Won

Hello. I heard Roger Federer won the US Open on Monday, beating Andy Murray in straight sets for his 5th US Open in a row. This is quite an accomplishment, since no one had done it since the 1920s. And it's 5 more US Open wins than Bjorn Borg!
Unfortunately I couldn't see it on TV. CBS in Buffalo decided to have its regular Monday programming instead. Same with TSN. In fairness to both networks, they decided to pass it on to "sister" networks which are only available on special cable packages.
I can understand why CBS did this, given the start time of the event. CBS has to cover more than sports. To have their news programming in particular be interrupted by an unplanned sports event is quite a change.
I have a tougher time with TSN. Sure they had a Monday Night football doubleheader on. But the tennis started 3 hours ahead of it, and I assume finished before the first game. Are the pregame shows important enough to be ahead of a tennis major final?
Then again, why wasn't the tennis final scheduled for say a 2pm start? That way only soap operas and other less important sports programming would've been impacted.
We'll see what happens next time a rainout happens.

Regards,
Steve

Villegas Breaks Through

Hello. Lost somewhat in the idiotic Fedex Cup format is Camillo Villegas winning his first PGA Tour event. Villegas won the BMW Championship Sunday.
It's a win people saw coming, including me. Camillo has played well in many events, but could never seem to put 72 holes together. That was ended Sunday.
What's great for golf is Camillo transcends the sport. Let's see if we can figure out why, shall we? My wife tells me he's very handsome. "Cutey" is a direct quote. Villegas has been on magazine covers of various kinds. And this win takes him out of the Anna Kournikova club, and proves he's a legit player, which will help his marketability. Golf will also become cooler.
Camillo is yet another 20-something player to win this year. Could 2008 signal the start of a new group of players ready to take on all comers? Other than Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington and the ageless Vijay Singh, all the top players seem to under 30 - Villegas, Anthony Kim, Sergio Garcia, Trevor Immelman, Brandt Snedeker and so on.
With this lineup, the PGA Tour may have great days on its horizon.
Now if it could only get rid of the Fedex Cup and/or its problems.

Regards,
Steve

Supposed Good Intentions Erased By Poor Execution III

Hello. Well shortly after my last post, Carolyn Bivens of the LPGA announced the English speaking policy would no longer have suspensions. Well done for finally seeing the forest and the trees!
What probably made the LPGA's vision clearer was State Farm's distancing themselves from the policy. After all, the sponsors were supposedly the main reason this policy was being introduced. By having State Farm, one of the biggest LPGA sponsors, imply they were not consulted on this policy, and they weren't in favour of it, left the LPGA looking very bad.
It's nice things are now where they should be. Foreign players are now able to play in the US without worrying about how good their English is. And let's face it - the smart foreign players will try to learn English as soon as possible to cash in on marketing opportunities.
So what damage has the LPGA done to itself? Surprisingly little. Those who never cared about the LPGA still don't. Any who hated the LPGA for a brief moment are now back to being indifferent. And those who followed the LPGA religiouly will continue to do because things are back to normal.

Regards,
Steve

Supposed Good Intentions Erased By Poor Execution II

Hello. My apologies for not posting Thursday.
Well, the LPGA "must speak English" policy is still in the news. What a surprise.
The lawyers are lining up. Shocking!
Lorena Ochoa called the policy "drastic". Somewhat of an understatement.
I'll be shocked if anyone is ever suspended for this rule violation.
Again, I have no idea why the LPGA had to go public with this rule. Why didn't they just hire English teachers for the players, make a general statement that they're trying to help players adjust to living in the US, and leave it at that? They would've probably been praised for their efforts, instead of lambasted.
Then again, would I or anyone else be talking about the LPGA as much if they didn't do what they did?
It reminds me of the Oliver Jewellers commercials here in the Greater Toronto Area. They are so bad quality wise they leave a lasting impression, which is what a company wants from advertising.
Maybe that's the LPGA's goal. If so, well done.

Regards,
Steve

New Score Top 100 List Interesting

Hello. Got the latest copy of ScoreGolf magazine and looked at their Top 100 for 2008. There were some surprises for sure. I have played 33 of the 2008 Top 100, down 2 from the 2006 list. Many of the ones I've played are no longer on the list. Some have now snuck onto it.
As Bob Weeks, ScoreGolf's editor, says, no list would ever be agreed to by everyone. And that shouldn't be the objective. What it should do is encourage golf clubs to improve their facilities so they can be considered or move up on the list. It should also point out to us as golfers where great courses are in this wonderful country.
Do I still have the same favourite? Of course. Osprey Valley Heathlands is still my #1 pick, even though it went from #35 to #36 on this Top 100. It's my soulmate. Everything about it is built just for me. That's not to say I won't be trying to play some of the others on the list. It's just that Osprey is the one I compare all others to.
As long as there are people with opinions, lists like the Top 100 will be popular. I'll be very interested in what 2010 Top 100 looks like.

Regards,
Steve

Singh Gets Fedex Cup Strangehold

Hello. Congrats to Vijay Singh for winning the Deutsche Bank Championship Monday. Witht he win, Singh has a virtual lock on the Fedex Cup. If he plays relatively well this week, he may not even have to play in the Tour Championship to take home the $10 million first prize.
Doesn't that point out a flaw? The same thing would've probably happened last year if Tiger would have played all 3 playoff events. How can it be a playoff in the truest sense if the winer doesn't have to play in all 4 playoff rounds to win? Unlike other sports, no byes are being given in the Fedex Cup.
Another point to consider - would winning the Fedex Cup put Vijay in the runing for Player of the Year honours? In theory yes, but I'd still consider him a distant third behind my current pick, Padraig Harrington, and Tiger Woods. I don't think I'm alone. And if my opinion is shared by the majority, doesn't that also point out a Fedex Cup flaw?
When Tiger and others said the season was too long, I think all they wanted was for the Tour Championship to be moved up to early September. I don't think they wanted what the Fedex Cup is now. Look for some changes (hopefully big ones) to happen to next year's format.

Regards,
Steve